The Department of Health (DH) provides funds for specialist palliative care services to operate throughout the state of Victoria.

While general health care services are often involved in the care of people with a terminal illness, the Palliative Care Program provides specialist services that address specific issues such as the management of pain and other symptoms associated with a terminal illness and to provide psychological, social and spiritual support where required or if requested.

The Palliative Care Program aims to achieve an integrated service across all aspects of care. This is supported by the underlying principles of the Palliative Care Program, which are:

• Care is holistic, multidisciplinary and client-centred;
• Care includes medical, nursing, allied health and volunteer services;
• Support is provided for families and friends, including grief and bereavement support;
• Patients can make informed choices about their care including the type of care and where the care is delivered; and
• Service delivery is seamless between the locations where care is delivered, whether that be in the community or in a health care facility.